Mark Allen Ceglio, better known by his stage persona, Sylvia Austin, didn’t always know he wanted to perform in drag – in fact, he initially eschewed the idea. But now, 40 years later, Ceglio performs around the Toledo area as Sylvia Austin, entertaining audiences with her blend of unwavering charisma and bold wit. As a cornerstone of local drag culture, Sylvia Austin has pushed through adversity to perform, using her experience to uplift the Toledo drag community. Toledo City Paper sat down with Austin for a Q& A at Georgjz419, where we discussed her thoughts on drag as an art form and how she became lovingly referred to ( by other area queens) as “the grandmother of Toledo drag.”
Name: Mark Allen Ceglio
Stage Name: Sylvia Austin
Age: 60
How long have you lived in toledo?
Born and raised.
What got you interested in performing?
I refused to do it for the longest time. I always said, “Nobody’s getting me into a dress.” Then we had a turnabout show where we had to (dress up) at Caesar’s in 1982. So we practiced and practiced and practiced and did this huge show. And then the owner’s lover, Denise Michaels was sick, and she passed away, and he threw me in the show, because I was the only one that would talk on the microphone. So I learned a lot from that.
I would imagine that you have to have a certain confidence to be in this space.
Yeah. You have to laugh at yourself before anybody else does. Laugh along with them.
Walk me through the inspiration for creating Sylvia Austin. Tell me about the fashion, the name choice, how you chose your songs, etc.
The name choice came from Denise Michaels and Bobby Bradley, because there was nobody named Sylvia. And they asked me what street I lived on, and at the time, it was Austin. In the back of my head I thought, “Oh I’m glad I didn’t live on Tremainsville” or something like that.
The fashion is [simple], I’m me. Back in the day, we always worried about [the details], but today, I’m so old that I’m just grateful to still be doing this. I wear what makes me comfortable. I don’t think I’m beautiful, I don’t think I’m that talented, but I have fun. I really do enjoy it. And the songs I pick — hardly anybody does country or funny songs. And I love doing a power ballad. A Celine Dion song or something like that.
So tell us about where you’ve performed?
I have performed in Detroit at Gigi’s. Gulf Coast in Michigan, Caesar’s, I was there for 30 years at both places: the original and the one that moved to Jefferson. Then somebody opened The Warehouse, which turned into Blush, which turned into Legends. Then . . .that closed, and I was fortunate enough for George Thompson and Mike, to welcome me here (at Georgjz419).
I actually saw you perform at Legends my first time ever going to a gay bar, and it was one of the best nights of my life. Tell me about what it means to you to be able to expose people to this artform that might not know a lot about the drag community as a whole.
Back in the day it was taboo. You had to sneak in; people didn’t want to be noticed. And then Tootsie came out and all this drag stuff and people found it more welcoming. And when you know a couple is heterosexual and you tease them and you let them have it, they enjoy themselves because they’re relaxed. And then you always go, “You know, honey, your husband is gonna be here tomorrow by himself,” and stuff like that. You just gotta have fun with it. I just let loose. I have a potty mouth. I figure I’m 100 years old in drag here so I can do what I want.
Makes it all the more fun for people for sure. Do you have any drag icons you look up to?
Back in the day it was Denise Michaels, Bobby Bradley and Twila Starr. Now today it’s Deja (D. Dellataro), and Gizelle (DeVaux) and (Anthony) Solo Jackson – these kids that are coming up now are just phenomenal. They call me Gma or grandma, so I’m glad I was little part of their lives.
You have made such an impact on the community here. I want to come back to that, but first I want to know how you balance the need to entertain with the importance of addressing issues within the LGBTQ+ community through a sensitive lens?
I don’t know. That’s kind of hard. I just think everybody needs to calm down and relax. There’s a certain extent where you’re shoving something down people’s throats, no matter what community and everything. But this community is so wonderful. It’s very welcoming and open arms. I just feel the need to get onstage and make people laugh. That’s my number one goal. I mean, I walk up to somebody and if they’re eating, I’ll grab a piece of pizza and start eating it with them and stuff. You have to laugh. For that two hours you’re in our show, I want you to forget your problems.
Like you said before, other queens in the community have called you the grandmother of the community or the fairy godmother of the community. How have you helped pave the way for others in the community and uplift other performers?
Back in the day at Caesar’s, we were the first ones (to) have an open stage night. Because I believe everybody deserves a chance. No matter what, you deserve a chance. We did that and it was popular. We used to have like 20 contestants. Now we do it (at Georgjz419) once a month, and we get like 24 to almost sometimes 30 contestants. We had to go from one show to three shows in a night. And it’s successful. It’s one of the busiest nights here at Georgjz419 on the first Sunday of the month. Performing is not for everybody, but you have to learn that experience. You have to experience it.
I mean, you never know unless you try, right? Do you have a most memorable performance or evening from your career that you’d like to speak on?
At Pride last year, doing a number and having 400 people chant your name. I started crying. It was after the parade at night, we had the outside show and stuff like that. I’s just like, really? You’ve heard the song 1000 times, but I started crying. When they scream and holler here, especially the kids that are like 20, 21, 22 years old and they’re accepting you. And you see these young kids doing backflips and dancing, and I’m wearing my little silver slippers. Acceptance is the greatest thrill for me, through this new community.
Is there anything within your performance history that you haven’t done yet that you’d like to do?
Be in a movie. I tried to get into the Hollywood Casino shoot, but I didn’t win the drawing. That would be cool, to see my ugly ass up on screen.
Oh hush. Give our listeners a rundown of the do’s and don’t’s of being an audience member at a drag show.
Do pay attention. Stay off your phone. If you need to go talk to somebody please get up because it is very distracting. Don’t talk louder than the music, and just be polite. You’re not gonna like everybody on stage, which you’re entitled to. But don’t go on your phone. Walk away, go to the bathroom, get another drink, buy me a pizza, whatever.
Heard it here first folks, please buy Sylvia a pizza. Now I want to know, what have been the best and worst moments for you being Sylvia Austin?
The worst, and the best are the same. The worst was my father not being accepting of me. He used to downgrade me and we did not have a good relationship whatsoever. But one day, during my birthday, because my family always came and sat in the front row at Caesar’s, I noticed my dad was gone. I always ask the audience, “What do you want to hear? What do you want me to do? You’re here, I’m here.” Then they go, “Do your rock mix!” So I got ready. And noticed my dad was gone. And I’m like, “Where’s dad?” And they go, “He had run home to the dogs.” And I’m like, “OK.” And then all of a sudden, I hear a thunderous round of applause. I mean, huge. And I turn around, and my dad was standing there in drag dress, in one of my outfits.
What an incredible experience.
I dropped to my knees and just lost it. He ended up being on the cover of the magazine the next month. It was a wonderful feeling. We still didn’t have a great relationship afterward, but that moment, I felt, wanted and needed.
I would imagine that it’s been interesting for you to see the shift of acceptance over the years.
Oh yes. Immensely. It didn’t used to be; we would like go outside and stand outside the bar, to get air because you’re hot, and you’d hear “faggot” and this and that, but nowadays it’s very rare you get that.
It gives me hope for future generations – when you talk about the early 20s ages being at pride and cheering on everybody – not only with performers but for our queer community at-large.
To me, Deja, Gizelle and Solo Jackson are changing that for the better. It’s good now, but everything always in life can be better. And those three, to me, are changing the face of drag.
What do you want people to know about drag performance, drag as a culture or the Toledo drag community specifically?
Our Toledo drag community is wonderful. They need to be accepted more. We’re not like what all these, I hate saying, “rednecks” (think). We’re not after you’re children, we’re not trying to groom anybody. So we’re reading a book to your child. Are you? They’re not. I hate the idea that they think we’re after everything or want to change the world. We want to change the world for the better, yes, just like everybody else does. But we’re not like all that negative crap you hear.
Absolutely. Where do you hope to see our community of drag performers go in the future?
All the way to the top. I keep referencing those people, but Gizelle, I could see as a national title holder. Deja is following her dreams right now. Because back then you couldn’t be queer, in drag and do something in the outside world. But now, Solo’s now producing his own shows. And that’s just phenomenal to me, that a straight bar is allowing him to host shows there. You couldn’t do that back in my day. But now, they’re so accepting now that (Georgjz419) is the only gay bar left, because you’re not afraid to go into other bars anymore. When I came out, there were 16 (gay) bars. Now, Georgjz419 is the only one left, and it’s the safest place on earth to me.
Even my friends, whether or not they’re a part of the queer community, will join me for weekends at Georgjz419, and they all have the same sentiment. It’s such a safe place to be and it definitely feels very welcoming. You can wear what you want, you can sing along to the music…
Oh, I love when they do that. Especially in the show. Sing along, you know the words. Because I’ll stop. You go!
And especially tip your performers.
Oh please. We do rely on tips.
Finally, tell me what drag means to you?
To me, it means the world to me because, like I said, I love entertaining. I don’t think I’m the greatest entertainer, but seeing it in their eyes and them singing along, just the love and acceptance I’ve gotten now and through the 40+ years I’ve been doing this, you know, 40 years. They accept me, they call me grandma; I just want to see it go further and stop having people push it backward. Because it’s not harmful. I feel the love in this community and I’m very grateful.
